Circuit Strategy Review Report
This is the paper sent to the Circuit Secretary in response to the review of the future of the Church in the next five years.
Membership and Sunday attendance
Current Church membership and Sunday attendance is predominantly elderly retired people, with some younger internationals - mostly temporarily residents.
It is generally the former group who takes a more active role in Church life and also make the greater financial contribution. This age profile means that over the next five years the pool of workers and givers will probably shrink a little and their ability to actively serve will diminish. It will become more difficult to maintain our current level of service and giving, both to our local church and the Circuit.
Pastoral care is an essential element within our Church family, its demands are expected to increase as our age profile increases. It is anticipated that all of this will have a minor impact over the next 2-3 years, increasing in 2014 and 2015. Beyond 2015 the impact is likely to be more serious.
Over recent years we have provided a considerable human resource to the Circuit – Treasurer, Steward and 4 Local Preachers. Inevitably the demands of our local Church together with the age and health of those involved will cause a reduction to this commitment in the future.
Property
The Church buildings are in a reasonable state of repair and finances are in hand to meet our anticipated spending on replacement and repair over the next 5 years.
The buildings also provide facilities for much community based activity – including playgroup and WEA classes; as well as church based outreach activities. This is all expected to continue over the next 5 years.
Outreach
We see our calling as to serving the local community, particularly students and children. Where possible we seek to do this together with the other Wivenhoe Churches. As other opportunities appear we will need to continually explore our calling.
These activities include Ladies Fellowship, Junior Church and Holiday Club; supporting Friends International by helping with their events, hosting students and running social evenings and assisting with the Circuit Chaplaincy.
We also hold a regular monthly coffee morning which serves the local community and raises funds for charity. Members of our congregation continue to support our members Bagamba Araali and family and their charity as they serve God and the needy people of The Democratic Republic of Congo.
At present we expect all our current activities to continue through to 2015, although staffing them will become more difficult; given our age profile.
Finances
Our immediate financial position is robust, with adequate reserves to support property upkeep and maintenance. This is largely due to income from extensive community use of the premises and an unrestricted trust fund.
The current Assessment contribution is roughly equal to the sum of giving (plus Gift Aid tax recovery) and fund raising. No money is left over for a contribution to property costs and utilities. This unhealthy situation is to be addressed. It could worsen if Wivenhoe is asked to increase its Assessment and its ageing congregation diminishes. Consequently Wivenhoe does not see a possibility of funding the higher Assessment figures that featured in the letter of 14th July 2011.